South Carolina, with its influx of tourists every year, is unfortunately very familiar with car accidents, negligence and personal injury cases. Pinning liability on locals or out-of-towners becomes a back-and-forth between lawyers that can last years. Maybe it was you who experienced a life-altering injury, or maybe it was a family member or friend. Whatever happens during your South Carolina journeys, if you need help for your personal injury case, Enjuris can offer guidance.

South Carolina Personal Injury Cases & Accident Info

South Carolina statutes online

This is where you’ll find the South Carolina Code of Laws. The website has details about how long you have to bring a case, monetary limits on personal injury cases (which are also known as damage caps), and other important information.

To read:

South Carolina's car accident statutes of limitation

In South Carolina, you have three years to bring both a personal injury and a property damage claim. That means you have three years to file your paperwork with the court, not that your case has to be completed in that time frame.

To read:

Hiring the right South Carolina lawyer

The first meeting with a personal injury attorney is normally free of charge. (Note that other legal specialties, such as traffic law or domestic relations law, are different.) After that, lawyers work on a contingency basis, which means that they will receive a third of the eventual reward, plus whatever office expenses they incur along the way.

If your case proceeds to trial, that percentage could rise to 40% of the eventual reward or judgment. These numbers aren't determined by law, so don't be surprised if your lawyer suggests something else.

Cases of interest in South Carolina

These are some cases of legal importance that came out of South Carolina's courts:

South Carolina v. North Carolina, 558 U.S. 256 (2010): This is a United States Supreme Court case in which the two states fought over water rights. In the end of this thrilling repartee, the court determined that only an interstate water authority and the Duke Energy Corporation could intervene – and Charlotte, North Carolina, had no say. While the meat of this case might seem boring, it was an interesting discussion in terms of state sovereignty.

Edwards v. South Carolina, 372 U.S. 229 (1963): The Supreme Court stated that the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution forbade the state government from interfering with a crowd's right to gather in front of a state house building when they were lawfully marching. There were 187 African-American protestors from the Zion Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina, and they had peacefully gathered in front of the South Carolina State House to express their dismay as to the treatment of their fellow African-Americans. They did not engage in any violent behavior or conduct; nevertheless, they were convicted for breaching the peace.

Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council, 505 U.S. 1003 (1992): This case established the "total takings" test in regulatory actions and determined whether petitioners deserved compensation. Lucas owned beachfront property, but the Coastal Council enacted legislation that in effect "took" his property via the Beachfront Management Act and rendered it worthless. He demanded compensation. As his land had been rendered worthless, it constituted a taking.

Data and statistics

South Carolina law libraries

There are a number of issues you can solve without the help of a lawyer. If you don't know where to begin, a law librarian can help you. They are usually legally trained, and they can help you both with texts or online research engines like LexisNexis or Westlaw.

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Partner with us

If your goal is to help people after an accident or injury – or to prevent them in the first place – we'd love to hear from you! We look to work with educators, healthcare and recovery organizations, insurance providers, law firms and other organizations. Get in touch to see how we can work together. Learn more...